Chronicles of Disney World
by vsiv1695
Summary: What if Disneyworld were a gateway to a Disney World?
1. Default Chapter

Things had not been well with me for a long time. Financial crises and joblesness seemed to be a way of life for me, and the result was not being able to renew my annual pass. Being locked out of DisneyWorld for a little while was tolerable, but being unable to go for months was becoming unbearable. Strange as it may seem, for better or worse, its all part of me somehow. How does the song go "It's a part of me, it's a part of you?" Maybe it't the reclaiming of the childhood I can't remember, or maybe it's just the one luxury in the world I'm spoiled on.  
  
The beginning of December is a special time for me. Mickey Mouse's birthday, Walt Disney's Birthday, my mother's birthday, my birthday, Christmas, and New Year's day all fall exactly a week apart from each other: the only exception being that my birthday is six days after my mother's. Consequently, the month of December can either be about celebration or depression with me, depending on what happens and how well I respond to it. This year was shaping up to be the latter.  
  
Fortunately, I've got a few friends down here in Orlando, and one of them (KA) happened to have access to maingate passes: so it happened that a few friends and I were able to go to the Magic Kingdom on December 5, Walt Disney's Birthday. We started the day in the Polynesian resort at a character meal called O'hana. It was more than a little interesting that my friends were interested in a character breakfast, but I think the appeal of an all-you-care-to-eat breakfast which featured pineapple bread was what really brought them.  
  
The characters came one by one in their usual fashion came up to our table and did the routine things: Chip and Dale's stealing crumbs off the table, Goofy's tripping over things and the like. The strange thing was Mickey: he was life-size. By that, I don't mean the five-foot-six or so version, I mean he was three or four feet tall like most envision him to be. Like he is in the partners statue. Everybody at the table was very surprised...even I had only seen something like this once, when it was a small Donald standing next to the usual-sized Pluto back a few years ago. This Mickey was great. He was very full of energy, really had the Mickey Mouse gestures and attitude down: totally exuded the personality of The Mouse. I've seen characters, and I've seen characters- but this performance was right on.  
  
The little Mickey approached with just the right arm-swing with just the right kind of walk. I was first to notice him (because I am always looking out at these meals), and the look in my eyes is actually what caught JA's attention.  
  
"I've never seen him the small before" he commented.  
  
"It's not just that...that walk is perfect." I answered, now openly staring at him.  
  
Mickey's nod, then the two hands coming above the head in the "Ta-Da" gesture were also very Mickey-like. "Wow. This one's good." I said, consumed by the performance.  
  
Mickey went on to shake CK's hand "I think I see... Hey, stand up a minute"  
  
CK did, and I finished the observation "That's the two-handed handshake from Fantasia. Very nice. "  
  
Mickey finished with an "Aw, shucks" gesture, then he noticed the ring.  
  
It's a very simple ring on my left hand ring finger, which I inherited from my grandfather. It fit me almost exactly as it did him, I'm told. It's no big deal by me, but it does represent the sort of connection I have with DisneyWorld: they had contacted my grandfather about being head of security in the "Underground" when they were building the place. I've been told that I could have easily wound up being raised in Orlando because of this.  
  
The ring gets a lot of attention from both people and characters. I once had a jawa try to take it from me during Star Wars weekends. Mickey was also very interested in the ring. He took my hand in his little hands, and carefully examined it. Finally, he gave me the thumbs up gesture and walked on to the next table.  
  
"That was everything but the voice." I told my friends.  
  
"See ya, pal." I turned around and waved goodbye at him.  
  
I could have sworn I saw the Mouse wink. 


	2. The normal day in MK

So, that was how the day began. The rest of the day

saw me playing tour guide in the Magic Kingdom for my

friends. I enjoy doing that- JA hadn't actually been

here for years, from before the Pooh ride. So we

spent a good amount of time on the newer or changed

rides. The highlight for me was the new Stitch's

Escape attraction in Tomorrowland. Personally, I

would have preferred visiting some of the acts in

Epcot: Mo'Rockin, Off Kilter, and Pam Brody all might

have wondered what became of me in recent months. I

often found myself glancing toward the entrance

wishing I could take the monorail over. Once we got

in though, we never got closer than where I go to

stock up my pixie dust glitter.

The day turned out fairly normal: we ate at Columbia

Harbor House since the breakfast was so large, and I

introduced CK to the churro cart.

We went on a slower pace that day, systematically

working around the park until the first parade of the

two-parade night came by. Big Thunder and Splash

Mountain are better that time of night and have less

wait. That put us out of position for Wishes of

course, but the way I do it...that's not a problem.

No, I'm not going to tell you...if I did everybody

would go there...

There's just a few minutes between Wishes and second

Spectro: ordinarily I'd move the group back toward

Frontierland, but it was important to slow down. CK's

got a metal rod in his back, and I'd just run him

through half the park quickly after a day of loading

and unloading. I brought them back to show them the

place in Expo Hall where they show the classic Mickey

Mouse cartoons. This stuff bothers JA for some

reason, so he went to the stores for a while.

The second spectro came and went, marking the time my

friends would be leaving. As is my tradition on

occasion, I headed back to the Partners statue to

contemplate on things Disney and the ideas of Walt.

The castle announced the final park closing, but I

couldn't bring myself to leave: I still couldn't

afford my annual pass, and it would be a long time

before I could return again.

I sat and watched the people file out: the last big

groups of people who would wait in line for the

monorail or ship for a long time: there was no

getting home quickly now, regardless of what anybody

did...

Custodial came by and gave me the empty look: the one

that kind of wonders why I'm still there. Especially

alone. He did his job, and moved on. I was still

planted, not wanting to leave even if nothing was

going on. Even the guys who sell popcorn were

leaving now...I kind of expected somebody in security

to come and usher me out.

Surprisingly, the first person to approach me was not

a security officer, dressed more formally. She looked

quizically at me, smiled the smile, and walked over.

"OK, it's allright...I'll go" I said quietly and

re-assuredly.

"Actually sir, that's not why I'm here. We've got

someone downstairs who would like to see you."

Downstairs? I couldn't believe she said that to me:

it's true, the so-called underground is more of a

first-floor, but something cast rarely speak of except

to other cast.

I thought for a bit as she led me over to the

Frontierland entrance: who was it? Johnathan was the

only attractions person I knew personally but he was

in AK last I heard...my friends from EPCOT would be in

normal clothes and just walk up to me if they were

here...there was the girl who played Belle and kept

picking me from the audience to be Beast at fairytale

gardens, but that was a year ago now. Then again,

just a week from being exactly a year..but...nah...

I finally concluded as I headed down the stairs that

someone I knew had picked up a seasonal role and just

hadn't told me yet. Strange that noone would have

mentioned it before though.


End file.
